What does lytic mean?
Lytic is a technical adjective describing something connected with lysis, the process of breaking open or dissolving a cell. It may refer to the action itself, as in a “lytic infection,” where viruses cause host cells to rupture, or to a mechanism, such as a “lytic cycle” in which a bacteriophage uses and destroys its bacterial host. The word is especially common in microbiology, virology, medicine, and biochemistry. In these fields, it identifies a process involving the physical disruption of cells rather than merely their chemical or functional impairment. Lytic is also associated with enzymes and antimicrobial substances that damage cell walls or membranes, allowing the affected cells to burst. Outside specialist contexts, the word is uncommon, but it is useful because it precisely identifies a destructive cellular process.
adjectiveRelating to or causing lysis, especially the breaking open of a cell. In biology, a lytic process or agent destroys cells by causing them to rupture.
- Relating to lysis or the destruction or dissolution of cells.
- Causing cells to rupture or break open.
"The doctor explained that the antibiotic works by a lytic mechanism, damaging the bacterial cell wall and causing the cell to burst."
"The laboratory tested the sample for evidence of a lytic infection."
"Bacteriophages can enter the lytic cycle and destroy the host bacterium."
From the Greek word for “loosening,” lytic describes processes that break cells open—sometimes useful in medicine and sometimes devastating during infection.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does lytic come from?
The adjective comes from the Greek adjective lytikos, meaning “able to loosen or dissolve,” and is related to luein, “to loosen,” and lysis, “a loosening, dissolution, or bursting.” It entered English through the scientific vocabulary of biology and chemistry during the 19th century. Its best-known relatives include lysogenic, describing a viral state in which the virus remains dormant within its host, and autolysis, the self-destruction of cells.
Related word forms
How lytic is actually used
This is chiefly a technical term used in biology, microbiology, medicine, and biochemistry. It is more specific than the general term “destructive” and usually refers to cellular rupture or dissolution.